The Deity of Christ and the New World Translation

INTRODUCTION

This article presents some of the best scriptural evidence of Christ’s Deity
as it exists in the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ New World Translation (NWT).
Before reading this article Jehovah’s Witnesses may deny that the NWT contains
even a hint of Christ’s Deity. They are constantly instructed by the Watchtower
Society to reject believing in Christ’s Godhood. When scriptural points are
raised from other translations, Jehovah’s Witnesses always have the excuse,
"It’s not translated correctly in that Bible." When the same questions
are raised and answered from the NWT they can no longer avoid the answers with
such ease. I sincerely hope you will consider the questions raised in this
study.

If you are a Christian I want to emphasize that this booklet is intended as a
guide to marking your own Bible. Use it to build a cross reference system in the
margins of your Bible at the exact point specific scriptures are used. Doing
this will put the benefits of this booklet to the best use. It places the tools
you need within immediate reach when witnessing to Jehovah’s Witnesses.

I want to acknowledge those whose work has gone before: Walter Martin, David
Reed, Lorri MacGregor, Ron Rhodes, John Ankerberg, John Weldon, Kevin Quick,
Marian Bodine, and many others.

Most of all I want to thank the one who is the subject of this study, even
the Lord Jesus Christ. I say to Him as Thomas did, "My Lord and my
God!"

WHO IS GOD?

Jehovah

*De 6:4 Jehovah our God is one Jehovah
*De 32:39 no gods with Jehovah

No Other "Gods"

*Is 44:6-8 besides me there is no God. there is no Rock besides me.
*Is 43:10 Before me there was no God formed.
*Is 45:5,22 with the exception of me there is no God.
*Is 46:8-11 no other God, nor anyone like me.

No Other "gods"

*De 32:39 no gods with Jehovah
*Ex 20:2-3 must not have any other gods

ALL OTHER GODS OR gods ARE FALSE

Baal

*Judges 6:31 Baal, God

Dagon

*Judges 16:23-24 Dagon, god

Satan

*2 Cor 4:4 Satan, god

Herod

*Acts 12:21-23 Herod, a god

ARE THERE MANY GODS OR MANY gods?

*Ps 96:4-5 One True God by nature
*Gal 4:8 those who by nature are not gods.
*1 Cor 8:4-5 One God in 8:4. 8:5 is referring to idols who by nature are
not gods, as seen in Gal 4:8

This helps us understand that being God is much more than a title or
a name. It is the very nature of the being so described as God. God is God
because of who he is, not because people call him God.

Jehovah

Jesus

*1 Co 8:6 one Lord, Jesus Christ
*Jude 4 our only Owner and Lord, Jesus Christ
*Ro 10:9 Jesus is Lord
*Rev 17:14, 19:16 Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of lords.
*Lk 2:11 there was born to you today a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

This verse (Lk 2:11) shows that Jesus was born Lord, not that he
became Lord later.

Jesus

*Php 3:20 we are eagerly waiting for a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ
Titus 2:13 we wait for the happy hope and glorious manifestation of the
great God and of [the] Savior of us, Jesus Christ.NWT introduces [the] into the previous verse to obscure that Jesus is
called God there.
*Titus 1:4 God [the] Father and Christ Jesus our Savior
*Titus 3:6 Jesus Christ our Savior
2 Pet 1:1 our God and [the] Savior Jesus Christ.NWT adds [the] to the previous verse to obscure the fact that Jesus is
called God there.
*John 4:42 the savior of the world
*Ac 5:31 Chief Agent and Savior
*Ac 13:23 a savior, Jesus
*Ep 5:23 a savior of [this] body
*2 Tim 1:10 our Savior, Christ
*2 Pet 1:11 the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
*2 Pet 2:20 the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
*2 Pet 3:2 Who is being spoken of here? Jehovah or Jesus?
*2 Pet 3:18 our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
*1 John 4:14 the Father has sent forth his Son as Savior of the world

WHO IS OWNER AND LORD?

Jesus

*Jude 4 our only Owner and Lord, Jesus Christ
*Ep 4:5-6 one Lord, one faith.Who is the one Lord? Jehovah or
Jesus?

WHO FORGIVES SINS?

God

*Mk 2:7 God alone can forgive sin
*Lk 5:21 God alone can forgive sin

Jesus

*Mk 2:5-7,10 Jesus forgives sin
*Lk 5:24 Jesus forgives sin

WHO PURCHASED CHURCH WITH HIS OWN BLOOD?

God

Ac 20:28 Why is [Son] in brackets? How can this be
"understood" without being in the Greek text explicitly?

SAVED BY FAITH IN WHO?

Jesus

*Ac 4:12 There is not another name under heaven by which we must be saved.Whose name is this?
*Ac 10:43 everyone putting faith in him gets forgiveness of sins through his
name.Who is "him?"
*John 1:12 to them he gave authority to become God’s children, because they
were exercising faith in his name
*John 3:16 everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have
everlasting life
*1 John 3:23 this is his commandment, that we have faith in the name of his
Son Jesus Christ
*1 John 5:13 you may know that you have life everlasting, you who put your
faith in the name of the Son of God
*Ro 3:19-26,28 man is declared righteous by faith in Jesus
*Ro 10:9 declare that Jesus is Lord and exercise faith… for salvation

WHO CREATED ALL THINGS?

God

*Ep 3:9 God, who created all things

Jehovah alone

*Is 44:24 I, Jehovah…, stretching out the heavens by myself. This
does not allow for a "junior partner" in creation. Jehovah clearly
states that He Himself created the heavens without the aid of anyone else.
*Is 48:13 My own hand laid the foundation of the earth and my own right hand
extended out the heavens. This does not allow a "junior
partner" in creation. See also Heb 3:1-4

Jesus

*Jo 1:1-3 all things came into existence through him.If Jesus
is a created being then he is a "thing". But this verse says all
"things" came into existence through Jesus. This excludes Jesus from
the realm of "things" and puts him in the class of being uncreated,
eternal, not part of the created world.
Col 1:16 by him all [other] things were created.What is
[other]? How can that be "understood" if it isn’t present in the
original language?
Rev 3:14 arkhe = beginning Note: same arkhe applied to Jehovah in Rev
21:5-7. How is Jehovah the "beginning" as the WT demands that arkhe
must be translated? [Should You Believe In The Trinity? p.14]
*Ps 102:24-27 Who? Jehovah?
*Heb 1:10-12 This is a direct quote of Ps 102:24-27 and is applied to
Jesus. See also Is 44:24

Is Jesus a "master worker" with Jehovah in creation?

WT says yes from Prov 8:3. Prov 8 is a personification of Wisdom
speaking in a feminine voice (which NWT does not accurately reflect even though
WT has confessed of the speaker’s feminine gender in Prov 8.) See Prov 7:4 and
9:4 for the gender of "wisdom" in Proverbs. Why did the NWT translate
wisdom in chapter 8 as "it" instead of "she" as the original
language indicates?

WHO IS FIRST AND LAST?

Jehovah

*Is 44:6,8 Jehovah says I am the first and I am the last
*Is 48:12 Jehovah says I am the first and I am the last

Jesus

*Rev 1:17-18 I am the First and I am the Last, and the living one; and I
became dead…
*Rev 2:8 the First and the Last, who became dead and came to life again
*Rev 22:12-13, 20 Look! I am coming quickly, … I am the first and the last
*Rev 22:16,20 I, Jesus, sent my angel to bear witness to you… Yes; I am
coming quickly.
*Rev 4:8 Holy is Jehovah God, the Almighty, who was, and who is, and who is
coming.

WHO IS ALPHA AND OMEGA?

Jehovah

*Rev 1:8 Jehovah is the Alpha and Omega, the Almighty

Jesus

*Rev 22:12-13 Alpha and Omega = first and last. Who is this?
*Rev 22:16 Shows Jesus as speaking in vs 12-13
*Rev 1:12-18 Who is the Son of man? Jesus. What does he call himself?
First and Last. First and Last = Alpha and Omega = the Almighty. Jesus is
Almighty God.
*Rev 22:12-13 Alpha and Omega is "coming." Is Jehovah
"coming?"

People worshipped other people or angels and were rebuked for it. See
Rev 19:10; 22:8-9; Ac 10:25

What is obeisance?

Watchtower defines it as follows, "used to designate the custom of
prostrating oneself before a person…" (Reasoning, p.215) Applying the
Watchtower’s own definition of obeisance to the verses describing people giving
obeisance to Jesus, we could say that they "prostrated themselves before a
god" since Jesus is "a god" in Watchtower theology. This is a
clear and logical conclusion to reach by following the Watchtower’s own
definition of obeisance and who they believe Jesus is. Upon reaching this
conclusion we need to go immediately to the following verse.
*Ex 34:14 For you must not prostrate yourself to another god, because
Jehovah, whose name is Jealous, he is a jealous God.

While the Watchtower attempts to draw the unwarranted conclusion that
"obeisance" to Jesus is somehow different than worship, their own
definition of obeisance leads them into clear and direct conflict with Ex 34:14.
Either Jesus is God or those rendering obeisance to him are guilty of
"prostrating themselves before another god."

This refutes the Watchtower’s claim that "obeisance" to
Jesus is ok because it is not worship. The Watchtower has inadvertently admitted
that worship is given to Jesus in the Reasoning book p. 214. The question is
stated as follows, "Does the fact that worship is given to Jesus
prove that he is God?"

JESUS NAME IS EXALTED IN NEW TESTAMENT

*Ma 18:20 where 2 or 3 are gathered together in my name
*Lk 10:17 demons are made subject to us by use of your name
*Ac 16:18 I order you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her
*Lk 24:47 on the basis of his name repentance for forgiveness of sins would
be preached
*John 1:12 to them he gave authority to become God’s children, because they
were exercising faith in his name
*John 3:16 everyone exercising faith in him
*Ac 10:43 everyone putting faith in him gets forgiveness of sins through his
name
*1 Jo 3:23 this is his commandment, that we have faith in the name of his
Son Jesus Christ
*1 Jo 5:13 you may know that you have life everlasting, you who put your
faith in the name of the Son of God
*Ac 4:12 there is not another name under heaven… by which we must be saved
*Jo 14:13-14, 26 whatever you ask in my name, I will do it
*Ac 3:16 our faith in his name has made this man strong
*Ac 4:7-10,30 healing and signs come in the name of Jesus
*1 Co 1:2 with all who everywhere are calling upon the name of our Lord
Jesus Christ
*Ep 1:21 far above every name named
*Php 2:9-11 the name that is above every other name
*Ac 1:8 you will be witnesses of me

FULLNESS OF DEITY

Jesus

Col 2:8-9 What does KIT say? Divine quality or Deity? What does
"all" mean? What does "fullness" mean? Theotes vs. Theiotes
or Essence vs. Quality. Theotes is "fullness" used here to describe
Jesus, showing that the "essence of God dwells in him bodily." It
isn’t a question of him having divine qualities. Instead it shows that he is God
in the flesh.

WHO IS THE SHEPHERD?

Jehovah

*Ps 23:1 Jehovah is my Shepherd
*Is 40:10-11 Jehovah is like a shepherd

Jesus

WHO IS MIGHTY GOD?

Jehovah

Jesus

IS JESUS GOD?

In all but the last verse of the following references the NWT
mistranslates each one.
Titus 2:13
Heb 1:8
Ps 45:6
2 Pe 1:1
1 Jo 5:20
*Is 9:6 Mighty God

IS JESUS JEHOVAH?

*Ro 10:9-13 Publicly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart
that he was raised from the dead and you will be saved.
*Ro 10:9 (Whose name are you calling on for salvation?)
*Ro 10:10 With the mouth one makes public declaration for salvation. (What
public declaration? That Jesus is Lord.)
*Ro 10:11 None that rests his faith on him will be disappointed. (Who
is "him?" He is the subject of verses 9 and 10, Jesus.)
*Ro 10:12 One Lord, rich to those calling on him. (On who? Vs 9
identifies that we are to call on Jesus by name.)
*Ro 10:13 For "everyone who calls on the name of Jehovah will be
saved." (Return to vs. 9 to see whose name must be called on
to be saved. It is Jesus. What Paul was doing in vs 9-13 was clearly explaining
that Jesus is God based on OT verses about God (Joel 2:32) applied directly to
Jesus. Verse 9 and verse 13 are references to the same profession that saves,
precisely that Jesus is Lord. Verse 13 is identifying the same one to call on
for salvation that is named in verse 9.)
*Ep 1:21 Jesus’ name above every name in this system and the system to come
*Ac 4:12 Salvation in Jesus’ name alone
*Php 2:9 Jesus’ name above every other name
*Ex 34:12-15 Jehovah’s command not to prostrate before other gods. Note
that Jehovah condemns little "g" gods here. If JWs were to bow before
Jesus then according to their theology they would be bowing before a little
"g" god. This would violate Jehovah’s command. But Jehovah has said
that at the name of Jesus every knee will bend. (Php 2:9-11) Would Jehovah
command that people bend their knees to Jesus when he has expressly forbidden
bowing before other gods?
*Ep 3:14 compare with Php 2:9
*Is 45:22-24 for OT parallel of bowing to the Father that Paul was
quoting in Php 2:9 and applying to Jesus in saying that "every knee will
bend down and every tongue will swear". It is a direct quote from the OT
referring to Jehovah and is applied clearly and directly to Jesus. Paul
definitely believed that Jesus is Jehovah.
Zech 14:3-5 with Mat 25:31 and Ac 1:11-12 Who is returning with the holy
ones? Jesus or Jehovah?
Zech 14:5 with 1 Thess 3:13

IS JESUS ALMIGHTY?

*Heb 1:3 He sustains all things by the word of his power. Is
this mighty or almighty? Could anything less than "all might" sustain
"all things?"
*Rev 4:8 Jehovah God, who was and is and is to come, the Almighty.Who
is coming? Jehovah or Jesus?
*Rev 22:20 Jesus is coming as identified in Rev 4:8. Jesus is Almighty
God.

IS JESUS OMNIPRESENT?

*Mat 18:20 Where 2 or 3 are gathered together in my name
*Mat 28:20 I am with you all the days until the conclusion of the system of
things

DOES JESUS HAVE ALL AUTHORITY?

*Ma 28:18 all means all

WHAT IS HEADSHIP?

*1 Co 11:3 Headship, not quality of being. Is man a superior human in
quality compared to woman? No. Therefore this verse cannot be teaching that
Christ is inferior to the Father if it is not teaching that women are inferior
to men. If it is teaching that Christ is inferior in quality to the Father, then
language demands that the same inferiority of quality be applied to women, and
we know that it cannot be.

WHAT DOES FIRSTBORN MEAN?

*Co 1:15 Jesus is firstborn of all creation. Does this refer to
order of creation or to the headship of Christ? The Greek word used is
proto-tokos. There is a different Greek word that specifically means ‘first
created’, proto-tiktos.
*Ps 89:20-27 David was not born first.Also, who was Joseph’s firstborn? See Ge 41:50-52, Ge 48:1-20, Ps 89:27,
and Jer 31:7-9

IS JESUS EQUAL TO JEHOVAH?

*1 Cor 15:28 This verse identifies a change in the Son’s position
relative to the Father. What is the Son’s position before subjecting himself to
the Father? Equal to! This verse describes a change in position. The Son
"becomes subject" to the Father. This means that at some point he is
not subject and he changes position to "become subject." Note the
presence of "when" and "then" in the verse.

DOES JESUS SHARE JEHOVAH’S GLORY?

*Is 6:1-5 with John 12:37-41 Isaiah’s vision of Jehovah’s glory is
applied by John to Jesus in verse 41. He says Isaiah saw his glory. Who did John
mean by [his] and who did Isaiah see?
*Is 42:8 with John 17:5. Jehovah will not share his glory yet Jesus has
glory alongside Jehovah
*John 12:45 Can any creature claim this? No. Jesus is not like any
created being.
*Is 48:11 Jehovah will not give his glory to anyone else.

IS JESUS THE EXACT REPRESENTATION OF THE FATHER?

*John 12:45 He that beholds me beholds him that sent me
*2 Co 4:4 Christ, who is the image of God
*He 1:3 the exact representation of his very being
*John 8:19 if you knew me, you would know my Father also
*John 12:44 he who puts faith in me
*John 14:7-9 know me, know my Father also
Col 2:9 Theotes vs. Theiotes or (Essence vs. Quality)

IS JESUS MASTER?

*Col 3:24 Slave for the Master, Christ

WHO IS THE STUMBLING STONE?

Jehovah

*Is 8:13-14 Who? Jehovah.

Jesus

*1 Pe 2:6-8 Who? Jesus.

HOLY SPIRIT SENT IN WHOSE NAME?

Father

*Lk 10:17 Father’s name.

Jesus

*John 14:26 Jesus’ name

WHO DO WE SERVE?

Jehovah alone

*Mat 4:10 Then Jesus said to him: "Go away, Satan! For it is written,
‘It is Jehovah your God you must worship, and it is to him alone you must render
sacred service.’"

God and Jesus

*Jam 1:1 James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ

Jesus

*Ro 1:1 Paul, a slave of Jesus
*2 Co 5:15 Live for him who died for us
*Ga 1:10 Christ’s slave
*Phil 1:1 Paul and Timothy, slaves of Jesus
*Co 3:24 slave for the Master, Christ
*Co 4:12 Epaphras, a slave of Jesus Christ
*Jude 1 Jude, a slave of Jesus Christ

CHRIST’S HUMILIATION OR EMPTYING OF HIMSELF TO BECOME A MAN

*Php 2:7 he emptied himself
*John 14:28 The Father is greater than I am
*John 20:17 I am ascending to my God and your God
*Ac 17:30-31 he purposes to judge by a man he has appointed
*1 Co 11:3 Is this quality of being? Is man by nature superior to woman?
Or is this headship which does not imply any innate superior quality of the one
holding the headship? Yes. See 1 Co 15:28.

WHO HAS WITNESSES?

Jehovah

Jesus

*Ac 1:8 You will be witnesses of me
*Ac 13:31 who are now his witnesses
Ac 8:35 Philip witnessed about Jesus

IS JESUS MICHAEL?

*Dan 10:13,21 Michael, one of the foremost princes
*Dan 12:1 Michael will stand up
*Jude 9 when Michael had a difference with the Devil he did not dare to
bring a judgment against him
*Lk 4:8 Jesus rebukes satan
*Heb 1:6 Let all God’s angels worship him
*Php 2:9 the name that is above every other name
*Heb 1:6 Jesus is above all angels. The text does not say "all
other angels." It says all angels and shows that Jesus is not included in
that group. Thus he cannot be Michael the Archangel.

COME TOGETHER IN JESUS’ NAME

*Ma 18:20 where 2 or 3 are gathered in my name

HEALING COMES IN JESUS’ NAME

*Ac 4:7-10 Healed a lame man by faith in the name of Jesus
*Ac 3:16 his name, by [our] faith in his name, has made this man strong

SIGNS COME IN JESUS’ NAME

*Ac 4:30 signs and portents occur through the name of your holy servant
Jesus

IS CHRIST’S SPIRIT EQUAL TO GOD’S SPIRIT

WHO RAISED JESUS?

God

*1 Thess 1:9-10 Whom he [God] raised up from the dead
*Ac 2:24 God raised Jesus from the dead.

Jesus

*Jo 2:19,21 I will raise it up

WHO IS THE JUDGE OF MAN?

Jesus

*Jo 5:22-23 Jesus
*2 Cor 5:10 Jesus

WHO IS LORD OF THE SABBATH?

Jesus

*Ma 12:8 Jesus

JESUS’ CLAIMS ABOUT HIMSELF

*Jo 5:18 The Jews understood Jesus made himself equal with God.
*Jo 10:28-33 The Jews said "You make yourself God."
*Jo 10:36 "I am God’s Son" is a claim to a unique relationship
with God. Jews considered it blasphemy because Jesus was claiming to be God by
saying this. They wanted to stone him. There are five reasons for stoning:

JESUS AT BIRTH

Lord

*Lk 2:11 there was born to you today a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Did
Jesus become Lord later or was he Lord from birth?

Christ

*Lk 2:11 there was born to you today a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Did
Jesus become the Christ at his baptism by John? This verse shows that Jesus was
born the Christ. Born today, who is the Christ, not "who will become"
the Christ.